The "press headlines" is a daily compilation providing a general overview
of international media coverage of climate change-related issues, that does
not purport to be exhaustive. The information contained in the compilation
is taken as is from sources external to the UNFCCC secretariat, that are
freely available on the Internet. No evaluation on the part of the UNFCCC
secretariat has been done in terms of the information that they contain.
The UNFCCC secretariat makes no warranty, either express or implied, as to
the accuracy, reliability or content of such information.

Making locals equal partners in forest managementThe European Union-Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (EU-REDD+) project in Kampung Gana here is set to demonstrate how the lives of forest-dependent communities can change for the better when they are fully engaged in forest management as equal partners.

Climate change could render Sudan 'uninhabitable'Sudan's ecosystems and natural resources are deteriorating. Temperatures are rising, water supplies are scarce, soil fertility is low and severe droughts are common. After years of desertification, its rich biodiversity is under threat and drought has hindered the fight against hunger.

CNN

Pacific contributesFIFTY island state nations and organisations were represented in the Pacific Dialogue on (Intended) Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) for the Pacific Islands in Nadi.

Spread by trade and climate, bugs butcher America's forestsIn a towering forest of centuries-old eastern hemlocks, it's easy to miss one of the tree's nemeses. No larger than a speck of pepper, the Hemlock woolly adelgid spends its life on the underside of needles sucking sap, eventually killing the tree.

Tackling climate change crucial to EU citizen healthClimate change has a notable impact on health and if steps are not taken, more frequent heatwaves and better conditions for diseases will cause more deaths and cost billions of euros, warns EU Health Commissioner Vytenis Andriukaitis.

‘We are trying to customise to community needs’Stirring the clean cooking pot once again is the India Clean Cooking Forum (ICCF 2016). Held over the last two days in Delhi, it is once again trying to focus on the pressing need to take forward clean cooking energy access, and expand the sector for enhanced health and better environment conditions.

How Climate Change Could Make Extreme Rain Even WorseClimate change could drive a 400% increase in the number of extreme summer downpours in some parts of the United States by 2100, exacerbating flash flooding events that have wrecked havoc in communities across the country in recent years, according to new research.

India's emission intensity of GDP reduced by 12 pc India's emission intensity of GDP has reduced by 12 per cent between 2005 and 2010, according to the country's first biennial update report submitted at the crucial UN climate summit recently, Rajya Sabha was told today.

Indonesia takes new step to combat loss of forests, firesIndonesia has strengthened its moratorium on converting peat swamps to plantations in a move a conservation research group says would prevent annual fires and substantially cut the country's carbon emissions if properly implemented.

Ministers Agree to Redouble Efforts to Fulfill Biodiversity GoalsMinisters from 190 countries gathered in the Mexican city of Cancun stressed on Saturday the need to make more effort to achieve biodiversity goals by 2020 and agreed on measures to step up the process of fulfilling them, including the mobilization of financial resources.

Gore says US climate curbs on trackU.S. greenhouse gas emissions are likely to fall irrespective of the pro-coal policies of President-elect Donald Trump, who may still surprise the world by embracing global action to limit climate change, former vice president Al Gore said.

Latest technology makes driving clean and funBMW Brilliance Automotive Ltd has expanded its new energy premium line-up into the compact sports utility vehicle segment with the BMW X1 xDrive 25Le, which is designed to electrify driving pleasure and is powered by the innovative i Technology.

Bloomberg optimistic at start of climate change summitFormer New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg says that even if President-elect Donald Trump pulls the United States back from the climate goals pledged a year ago in Paris, action by major American cities can continue advancing toward those goals.

Most villages unprepared to cope with climate changeThe Environment and Forestry Ministry has said it is stepping up efforts to build climate resilience in villages after learning that only 290 of around 70,000 villages have taken part in its climate resilience program, which started in 2011.

Mayors look to tackle climate change at city levelThe mayors of Atlanta, Cape Town, Paris and Vancouver have pledged to lead a 7,000-city push to combat the threat of climate change, even as Donald Trump’s election as US president dims hopes for co-ordinated national action.

Morocco Continues Renewable Push with 100% PledgePlaying host to the COP22 talks in Marrakech this year, Morocco continued its green energy development push by joining in on a pledge to meet 100% of its domestic electricity needs with local renewable energy production as “rapidly as possible.”

Solar lessons for India from MoroccoWith Atlas Mountain on one side and the vast Sahara on the other, Ouarzazate also known as Morocco's Hollywood, where films like "Gladiator" and TV series "Game of Thrones" were shot has become, in a record time of three years, home to the world's largest concentrated solar power plant, holding many a lesson for India.

T&T gets help tackling environmental pollutantsTHE Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago has received further financial support to address the issue of environmental pollution and its effects through successful access to a shared regional grant of US$8.8 million.

Trinidad Express

Francophonie Summit Welcomes COP22 OutcomeThe 16th Francophonie Summit, which wrapped up Sunday in Antananarivo, welcomed the outcome of the 22nd Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP22), Held on November 7-18 in Marrakech.

Morocco World News

Climate finance for farmers key to avert 1B hungryWith climate change posing growing threats to smallholder farmers, experts working around the issues of agriculture and food security say it is more critical than ever to implement locally appropriate solutions to help them adapt to changing rainfall patterns.

Why Brazil Needs to Rethink its Restrictions on Carbon TradingAt the United Nations climate talks last week, we heard a loud and clear message from science: global warming is moving at an alarming rate, faster than predicted. The scenarios are very worrisome, with the melting of glaciers, more frequent super storms and other extreme climate events. These have been responsible for huge waves of human migration to cities with low capacity to absorb them, resulting in conflicts, civil war and even the collapse of societies as a whole as we have seen in Syria.

The Huffington Post

EU CO2 prices fall 7.5% on talk of EU efficiency targetsEU carbon dioxide allowance prices under the EU Emissions Trading System fell sharply to a two-month low Friday morning amid signs that the European Commission may be pushing for stronger EU energy efficiency targets in a package of policies to be unveiled next week.

This island is now powered almost entirely by solar energyA small island in American Samoa is making the switch from diesel generators to 100 percent renewable energy. Ta’u, the easternmost of the Samoan islands, has just been equipped with a new microgrid with 1.4 megawatts of solar-generation capacity and six megawatt hours of battery storage. It’s enough to power the entire island night and day.

Vietnam’s vulnerability to climate change has lessons for IrelandIn Ireland we are already beginning to feel the negative effects of climate change through increased weather variability, and worse is yet to come. However, many other countries at an earlier stage of development than Ireland are facing greater risks of climate-induced damage.

Marrakesh climate talks inch forward on rules for Paris deallThe United Nations COP22 climate talks in Marrakesh which ran from November 7-18 saw some incremental forward movement on setting out the rules for how the Paris Agreement on climate change will work, the International Emissions Trading Association said Thursday.

Caribbean countries get financial help to fight climate changeThe Belize-based Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre (CCCCC or 5Cs) has launched a multimillion-dollar climate change adaptation programme (CCAP) which it said will boost climate-resilient development and reduce climate change induced-risks to human and natural assets in 10 Caribbean countries.

Resolving climate change questionAppraising the outcome of the just-concluded climate conference in Marrakesh, Morocco, CHINEDUM UWAEGBULAM who attended the COP 22, writes that countries made crucial progress in building the foundation to support the Paris agreement, and negotiators agreed to develop a clear roadmap in order to finalise the rules of the climate deal by 2018.

The Guardian

Companies Show Commitment to Global Climate Agreement and Lay Out Plans for Action at COP22 Last week in Marrakech, the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC), together with the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and the secretariat of UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), hosted the COP 22/ CMP 12: High Level Meeting on Climate Change. More than 100 high level business leaders and investors met with leaders from the Government, civil society and the UN in a show of resounding support and commitment to taking action on the Paris Climate Agreement.

Seychelles a voice for oceans and youth at climate conferenceSeychelles was a prominent voice for the oceans at the United Nations climate change conference (COP22) that ended in Marrakech, Morocco, last Friday with Ambassador Ronny Jumeau being chosen to report on the oceans to a high-level plenary meeting.

Regional Climate Program Considers New Reserve MechanismThe nine states in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative want to ensure that emissions continue to decrease even when carbon allowance prices drop as part of a new reserve mechanism being considered for the cap-and-trade program.

An ancient cathedral in England is getting solar panelsFor more than 1,300 years the site of Gloucester Cathedral, in the south west of England, has been a place of continuous worship. Rich in history, it is home to the tomb of King Edward II, who died in 1327. Now, it has become one of the oldest cathedrals in the world to have solar panels.

Peatlands could help reduce carbon emissionsWETLANDS, forests, and oceans absorb and store carbon, which makes them a vital asset for countries pursuing the Paris climate agreement’s targets for reducing CO2 emissions. So how can we use them most effectively?

Faiths applaud “unprecedented global consensus” on climate change action at COP22Last year’s Paris agreement on climate change is “irreversible and unstoppable”, the world’s political leaders said as they met in Marrakech for this year’s climate change conference (COP22). As they gathered, a significant number of Anglican leaders signed a joint inter-faith statement describing the agreement as an “unprecedented global consensus.

Climate Finance for Farmers Key to Avert One Billion HungryWith climate change posing growing threats to smallholder farmers, experts working around the issues of agriculture and food security say it is more critical than ever to implement locally appropriate solutions to help them adapt to changing rainfall patterns.

Nations set guidelines for Paris climate dealDelegates at the 22nd session of the Conference of Parties (COP22) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in Marrakech, Morocco, have issued a proclamation that signals shift towards a new era of implementation and action on climate and sustainable development.

Groups, experts laud Marrakech’s COP22 global consensusAfter the proclamation by COP 22 delegates, civil society groups and experts say, the statement reaffirmed that it is in the national interest of every country to accelerate the transition to renewables and build resilience to climate impacts.

Solar power: Best alternative to light up rural AfricaSolar energy has always been an alternative power source in areas not connected to the electricity grid. And this is what Bernard, a Kenyan chicken breeder, living in a small village about sixty kilometers from Nairobi believes.

Africanews/AFP

Climate 'rulebook' decision amid finance worrieshe UN climate summit concluded here on Saturday with countries deciding to finalise a "rulebook" for fresh actions to deal with global warming by 2018 amid major concerns that developing countries lack adequate financial support to implement some of those actions.

India says the Marrakech meet shows 'forward movement' A day after the conclusion of the UN climate change conference at Marrakech in Morocco, India on Sunday said that the overall outcome of the Conference represented "forward movement" in climate action and the country worked there to ensure that the climate actions are based on equity and climate justice.

Climate negotiators set path forward from Paris AgreementClimate negotiators agreed early Saturday to a work plan to implement an historic accord adopted last year in Paris to fight global warming, after working through the night to bring delegates from nearly 200 countries into agreement on the way forward.

dpa

PM: World off trackAS the curtains fell at the UN Conference of Parties (COP 22) meeting in Morocco yesterday, Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama urged world leaders to achieve the goals of the Paris Agreement, everyone must go further and faster in delivering climate action before 2020.

UN climate talks end with pleas for Trump to join fightThe first U.N. climate conference after the landmark Paris Agreement closed Friday with delegates appealing to Donald Trump to join the battle against global warming and inviting him to see its impacts in Pacific islands.

'Climate change destroys Africa's beauty'Speaking at COP22 in Marrakesh, 350.org activist Landry Ninteretse says African wildlife and food security are under threat. What the continent needs most from the West is not finance but an end to extractivism.

Deutsche Welle

Solar energy from the farmSolar panels on top, wheat and potatoes down below: researchers aim to make farmers' fields twice as productive with a revolution in power generation. A pilot facility in southwest Germany is exploring the new concept

UN chief Ban says Trump is changing, slowlyU.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon says he's observed a change in Donald Trump's rhetoric following the election and that he and the U.S. president-elect have agreed to meet face-to-face.

Adequate climate finance an overriding concern: IndiaIndia has asked the developed countries to provide finance and technology transfer support to developing nations to tackle the threat of climate change, noting that access to adequate climate finance remains an "overriding concern".

UN's Ban Ki-moon: Climate change action 'unstoppable'At a meeting of almost 200 nations in Morocco to work out ways to implement the 2015 agreement to limit greenhouse gas emissions, Ban said on Tuesday that US companies, states, and cities were all pushing to limit global warming.

UNFCCC Chief Hails Young People for VibrancyThe executive director of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), Patricia Espinosa has applauded the enthusiasm of young people as global climate submit progresses in Marrakech, Morocco.

Hollande: US must respect 'irreversible' climate dealFrench President Francois Hollande on Tuesday urged the United States to respect the "irreversible" Paris Agreement on climate change, and said France will lead a dialogue on the topic with President-elect Donald Trump "on behalf of the 100 countries that have ratified" the deal.

UN seeks more climate finance from rich nationsRich nations pledged back in 2009 to mobilize $100 billion (93 billion euros) per year from 2020 for climate aid to the developing world, but poor nations are insisting on a clear roadmap for reaching the goal

Climate Deal a Done Deal, France SaysFrench President Francois Hollande says the Paris deal to fight climate change is "irreversible" and says the United States must respect the decision by the Obama administration to join the deal

Climate change momentum will be sustainedUS special envoy for climate change Jonathan Pershing said the deal protects the economic growth and the environment while providing nationally determined flexibility and accommodating different national circumstances

European climate chief sees China link on carbon tradingThe European Commission's top climate official says a nationwide emissions trading scheme (ETS) to be rolled out in China next year could pave the way for a link-up to the EU system, taking a step towards an international carbon trading market.

Exclusive interview with UNFCCC spokesmanTo Marrakech in Morocco, the major climate change conference known as COP22 is underway, under the auspices of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. Ratification of the Paris Agreement on climate change will make this a significant week ahead at the event.

Global protesters demand climate justice at UN talkSeveral thousand activists have marched in the Moroccan city of Marrakech to demand environmental justice, just a few kilometers (miles) away from where high-level U.N. climate change talks are being held.

AP

COP22: WBA Urges Delegates to Push for Carbon TaxThe World Bioenergy Association (WBA) has called on the delegates attending the COP22 in Marrakech to act now with a managed yearly decline of fossil fuel use and implement a carbon tax in each country to achieve the targets of the Paris Agreement.

Faith groups call for 'clean energy not coal' at climate summitAs nations meet in Marrakesh, Morocco to plot the global response to climate change, more than 120 organisations, including faith groups, southern movements and anti-poverty charities, have called for an end for all forms of public support for coal expansion and the world's wealthiest economies to renounce coal totally

What’s good for the planet is good for healthStop and take a breath. No matter where you live in the world, the chances are great that the air filling your lungs is polluted. Worldwide, roughly 9 out of 10 people live in places where air quality levels exceed the World Health Organization’s safe limits.

Oped-Director-General of the World Health Organization/Huffington Post

Washington rejects carbon tax, but backers are undeterredWashington's carbon tax initiative was billed as a bipartisan approach to curbing carbon emissions. But voters in this progressive state roundly rejected the measure that drew opposition from the fossil fuel industry and, more surprisingly, many major environmental groups.

Invention and prohibition essential to meet Paris climate targetsThe Paris agreement on climate change, reached last December, has been ratified by Ireland, the EU, and almost 100 other countries, and it has now taken legal effect. Its purpose is to ensure that, by the middle of this century, we should have no additional negative impact on Earth’s climate system.

UAE rain studies to feature at climate conferenceUAE rain research will be shared with delegates attending the global climate change conference now under way in Marrakech, Morroco, said officials, helping other countries access new science and technology in the field.

Turning sun into water in parched rural MoroccoTAFOUGHALT: In the arid mountains of eastern Morocco, people know the value of water all too well. “Every drop is like gold. It should almost be measured by the carat,” said local activist Najib Bachiri.

Governments See CDM as Crucial for Paris Goals
Government officials meeting in Marrakech have said that the UN’s Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) has a key role in helping countries achieve the goals of the Paris Climate Change Agreement, which is to limit the global average temperature rise to 1.5 to 2 degrees Celsius.

Shipping to go 'beyond Paris Agreement' without offsetsThe International Chamber of Shipping has committed the industry to legally binding emissions reductions under the Paris Agreement. Unlike the aviation industry, it will make no use of carbon 'offsets', but will reach its targets by increasing efficiency and moving to lower carbon fuels.

Food security on the table at MarrakeshA year on from the groundbreaking Paris Agreement, COP22 talks aim to make good on last year's commitment to fight global warming on several fronts. Agriculture is a big one

At COP22, UNESCO showcases indigenous knowledge to fight climate changeThe UNESCO Pavilion at the 2016 UN Conference on Climate Change (COP22) opened its doors today with a series of discussions on the solutions that indigenous knowledge can offer to tackle climate change, and how to best support particularly vulnerable local and indigenous communities.

Moroccan king reaches out to African leadersMoroccan King Mohammed VI offered a conditional olive branch to African leaders Sunday in a speech in Senegal declaring his country wanted to “take back its natural position in Africa”.

Saudi Gazette

Marrakech’s Sites Sparkle during COP 22Marrakech’s renowned sites and landmarks have turned into beacons, lighting up across the city, in celebration of On the twenty-second Conference of the Parties (COP22), opening today and running until November 18.

After years of delay, climate talks face a new problem: speed Efforts to build a new global deal to tackle climate change were for many years criticized for moving at a glacial pace. But this week climate negotiators meeting in Morocco find themselves facing an entirely new problem: a deal that, astonishingly, has come into effect more than three years ahead of schedule.

Reuters

Marrakech climate talks: giving the fossil fuel lobby a seat at the table As the world gathers in Morocco for the historic first meeting under the Paris agreement – called “COP22” but now also “CMA1” – it does so with the unprecedented involvement of corporate interests who have fought climate action around the world, funded climate change denial and whose fundamental interest is in extracting and burning as much fossil fuel as possible.

Morocco Strives to Make COP22 Summit of ActionMorocco is striving to make the 22nd conference of parties to the UN Framework-Convention on Climate Change (COP22), slated Nov. 7-18 in Marrakesh, a summit turned towards action seeking to give concrete substance to the ambitious goals of the Paris Agreement on Climate, said Tatiana Nuno, official in the climate change campaign of Greenpeace-Spain.

Morocco World News

Morocco builds one of the world’s biggest solar power plantA thermosolar power plant is pictured at Noor III near the city of Ouarzazate, Morocco. Once completed, Noor will cost 2.2 billion euros ($2.45 billion) and generate 580 MW, enough power for a city of almost 2 million people. Besides, Morocco aims to expand at other desert regions to 2 gigawatts of solar capacity by 2020 at a cost of $9 billion.

King Mohammed VI’s Bid to Reunite Morocco With AfricaKing Mohammed IV made to tour of East Africa, starting in Rwanda and continuing to Tanzania. The tour is aimed at garnering support amongst African countries for Morocco to re-join the African Union (AU) which it left in 1984.

Faith groups strengthen call for climate justice “This is the time to step forward and act as trustees to Mother Earth. Together, by supporting each other’s progress we can go further and faster”, reads the 'COP22 Interfaith Statement', a document prepared by faith communities involved in advocacy work on climate change at the 22nd Conference of Parties (COP) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC).

Ekklesia

India to push agenda of sustainable lifestyle at global India will push the agenda of sustainable lifestyle at the upcoming global climate conference at Marrakech in Morocco, apart from focussing on the issue of mobilising finances, which has been its "overriding" concern, to tackle climate change.

Climate host Morocco advances its energy transitionMorocco, host of the 2016 climate conference, intends to cover more than half of its electricity needs from renewables by 2030. In addition to massive installations, hundreds of mosques will also generate solar energy.

Morocco lifts ban on mobile internet voice callsMorocco has lifted a ban on calls made through mobile internet connections, its national telecoms regulator said, acting after fierce protests on social media against a rule introduced at the start of the year.

Saudi Arabia inks Paris climate change agreementSaudi Arabia has signed on Thursday the Paris Agreement to combat climate change, which became an international law on Friday. On behalf of the government of the Kingdom, the Saudi Permanent Representative to the United Nations Ambassador Abdullah Al-Mualami inked the agreement, in the presence of the UN Secretary General Ban-Ki moon.

COP22 to Introduce a Marrakech ‘Medina Bike’ ProgramStarting November 7th, Marrakech residents will have access to the city’s new city bike program, called “Medina Bike,” which is not unlike other city bike programs currently available in many European and American cities.

African cities must confront climate changePublic-private cooperation on a local as well as international level can help African cities play a key role in tackling climate change, argues David Kuria, Eco Ambassador and head of Kenyan social enterprise Africaqua.

Deutsche Welle

Slow Food Appeal To COP 22The 22nd session of the Conference of Parties (COP 22) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change is scheduled to take place in Marrakesh from November 7-18.

Unlike COP 21, which completely ignored agriculture, COP 22 will take the subject into account, albeit only marginally.

Experts stress on clean cooking solution for all Renewable energy experts have underlined the need of increasing the use of clean and sustainable energy while reducing the use of traditional sources of fuel for improving people’s health, environment conservation and securing gender inclusion

Paris climate agreement becomes international lawThe Paris Agreement to combat climate change becomes international law on Friday - a landmark demonstrating that countries are serious about tackling global warming amid growing fears that the world is becoming hotter faster than scientists expected.

UN: Huge emissions cuts needed to meet Paris climate goalsThe world is nowhere near on track to achieve the ambitious temperature goals adopted in the landmark Paris Agreement on climate change, the U.N. said Thursday in a sobering report that warned of a human tragedy unless governments stepped up efforts to fight global warming.

Paris accord on climate change comes into effectThe historic climate deal signed in Paris last December has come into force after 94 countries ratified the agreement last month. The United Nations warns that huge emissions cuts are now needed to meet the global goals.

Morocco's oases fight back creeping sandsOn the edge of the southwestern town of Rissani, Abdelrahman Ahmidani sighs as he reflects on the state of the Moroccan oasis, endangered by drought and climate change.

Want a climate solution? Start talkingWith the Paris Agreement now almost a year old and ratified by 86 of its signatories, the next big word is implementation. But just how do countries make good on their climate pledges? One option is to start talking.

‘Everyone Needs to Act’: What Experts Expect From the SummitWhen representatives of 200 nations meet at a crucial two-week climate change conference in Marrakesh, Morocco, on Monday, their goal will be to put some force behind the pledges they made a year ago in Paris to reduce the emissions responsible for global warming.

WB: Morocco Set Powerful Example in Fighting Climate ChangeMorocco has set a powerful example in terms of fighting climate change, said the World Bank (WB), noting that the country’s decision makers have geared up policy and investments toward increasing resilience and fostering a low carbon economy.

A Global Climate Deal Was Reached. Next Up Is Pollution Monitoring.The Paris climate agreement is, obviously, a very big deal: Last year, nearly 200 nations agreed to take on the challenge of a warming world. Their stated goal was to hold the increases in world temperature since the beginning of the industrial revolution to well below 2 degrees Celsius

Dhaka will emphasise on adaptation finance in COP22Bangladesh will emphasise on adaptation finance and compensation for loss and damages in the upcoming Conference of Parties as the country needs huge financial support to meet the adaptation measures caused by global warming.

Japan to approve Paris climate accord FridayJapan is set to approve the Paris accord on fighting global warming on Friday, the day the pact will go into force, after the country’s ruling and major opposition parties struck a deal on parliamentary voting schedules.

IRENA: Offshore wind could swell 650 per cent by 2030Powered by falling costs and rapid technology improvements, offshore wind capacity could grow by more than 650 per cent in the next 15 years, according to new research released today by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA).

IFC launches new $152m green bond designed to protect forestsThe long-running push to develop a mechanism that ensures the world's remaining forests are worth more standing than felled opened up a new avenue yesterday, with the launch of an innovative new forest protection bond designed to mobilise $152m of investment in projects that help protect vulnerable forests.

One in seven children suffer high air pollution: UNICEFAlmost one in seven children worldwide live in areas with high levels of outdoor air pollution, mostly in South Asia, and their growing bodies are most vulnerable to damage, the U.N. children's agency UNICEF said on Monday.

Hope on Marrakesh talks to limit global warmingClimate change is gathering pace — and so is the global drive to fight it. This week the World Meteorological Organisation said human alteration of the atmosphere had passed an unwelcome milestone as levels of carbon dioxide, the greenhouse gas most responsible for warming the world, exceeded 400 parts per million; that is 40 per cent above the pre-industrial figure and the highest for several million years.

Shipping sector agrees new deal to cap sulphur levelsThe International Maritime Organisation (IMO) is finally introducing steps - albeit small - to reduce the environmental impact of the shipping industry, after 170 countries agreed on a new global deal to introduce a cap on sulphur emissions in 2020.

Morocco: Switch to clean energyOuarzazate, the gateway to the desert has opened its doors to the future. The city, famous for its film history, now houses the Noor solar plant, the largest in the world. A project that aims to provide Morocco with clean, sustainable energy.

Kuwait starts up first solar power plantKuwait has begun operating its first-ever solar power plant, at the Umm Gudair oil field, a landmark for the OPEC member country as it seeks to diversify its sources of energy to meet fast-rising local demand.

5 climate finance topics to watch at COP22 in MarrakechFinance is always a hot topic at the climate negotiations, and this year is no exception. The Paris Agreement is clear that all finance flows — both public and private — must become consistent with a low-emission and climate-resilient development pathway.

Here's How Climate Change Is SexistIt might seem crazy, but it's true: Around the world, climate change disproportionately affects people living in poverty, especially poor women and girls.

Glamour

How animals are adapting to survive climate change (video)A study of fish in unusually warm waters found they had adapted to survive in a different environment in a relatively short period of time. They were different to the rest of their species and it may mean they have switched off genes to survive.

Pacific Climate Change Centre to be established in SamoaA new Pacific Climate Change Centre (PCCC), jointly funded by the Governments of Japan and Samoa as well as the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Program (SPREP) will be based in Apia, Samoa and ready by 2018 to address climate change challenges in the region.

Road to COP22: Green Tourism in MarrakechMorocco sets up a number of initiatives in sustainable development as it prepares to host the Conference on Parties (COP22). In our series “Road to COP22”, we take you to the discovery of various projects on Moroccan territory.

Nations agree on global road map to steer breakneck urbanizationThe United Nations formally adopted a global road map to grapple with rapid urbanization on Thursday, capping nearly two years of behind-the-scenes international negotiations aimed at designing development priorities for cities and towns over the long term.

U.N. Urban Summit Gives Rise to a Mixture of Optimism and CriticismExperts and activists greeted with a mixture of hope and skepticism the Third United Nations Conference on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development (Habitat III), which opened Monday Oct. 17 in the capital of Ecuador, and which seeks to produce a new urban agenda for cities and their inhabitants.

Analysts dismiss ‘carbon bubble’ warningOil and gas companies are valued largely on reserves that will be produced over the next 15 years, meaning that their investors are not vulnerable to longer-term changes in energy markets, a leading industry adviser has said.

Wind could supply fifth of world electricity by 2030: groupWind power could supply as much as 20 percent of the world's total electricity by 2030 due to dramatic cost reductions and pledges to curb climate change, the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC) said in a report released in Beijing on Tuesday

Hit by Extreme Weather, South Asia Balances Growth and Food SecurityDuring the first week of October, the Metrological Department reported that maximum daytime temperatures in some parts of the country were between 5 to 2C above average. They hit 38.3C in some parts of the North Central Province, a region vital for the staple rice harvest.

Emerging Climate Accord Could Push A/C Out of Sweltering India’s ReachA thrill goes down Lane 12, C Block, Kamalpur every time another working-class family brings home its first air-conditioner. Switched on for a few hours, usually to cool a room where the whole family sleeps, it transforms life in this suffocating concrete labyrinth where the heat reached 117 degrees in May.

US fossil-fuel emissions lowest since 1991The United States pumped out the least climate-changing pollution from fossil fuels in the first six months of this year than at any such period since 1991, federal energy officials said Wednesday.

Coffee And Climate Change: In Brazil, A Disaster Is BrewingCoffee lovers, alert! A new report says that the world's coffee supply may be in danger owing to climate change. In the world's biggest coffee-producing nation, Brazil, the effects of warming temperatures are already being felt in some communities.

Renewable energy could offer security as global tensions riseIt's already a well-established fact that renewable sources of energy are clean and increasingly cost effective. But with parts of the world gripped by geopolitical tensions and armed conflict, clean energy can offer something extra: The potential of energy independence and security.

Cabinet to submit Paris climate accord to DietThe Japanese cabinet approved a plan Tuesday to submit the Paris Agreement, a new global accord to curb climate change after 2020, to parliament for ratification in a move lagging behind many other major emitters.

Climate Change Blamed for Half of Increased Forest Fire DangerForest fires are burning longer and stronger across the western United States, lighting up the landscape with alarming frequency. Residents are forced to flee, homes are incinerated, wildlife habitats are destroyed, lives are lost. Last year, the Forest Service spent more than half its annual budget fighting fires.

Climate-change hopes meet urban realityHopes of averting climate change are being pitted against urban reality. Enough countries have finally just ratified last year’s United Nations Paris Accord to make it stick.